Anthropology is the study of contemporary human cultural lives. This degree centres on anthropology’s ethnographic approach, which is employed to understand how people live their lives, on their own terms. Such an approach enables anthropologists to examine key global challenges and events, like climate change and xenophobia, as well as how government policies, technologies, and products and services are incorporated into people’s lives. Designed for those whose work or interest is in understanding people in specific contexts, this program equips students with the necessary ethnographic skills and opportunities to undertake analysis of human lives, and to make cross-cultural comparisons.

Why study anthropology at the ANU?The Master of Anthropology at the ANU is a highly sought-after program that places very strong emphasis on anthropological theory and methods with the intention of turning out graduates ready to work in applied research contexts in the public and corporate sectors. The program provides students with central skills in anthropological and ethnographic theory and methods, which includes training in research and analysis, a broad suite of optional language training, field-schools, internship placements as well as a thesis option. We offer graduates comprehensive training in ethnographic methods and anthropological theory, followed by thematised progression in accordance with the student's interests and future intentions for work or study.

Career Options

Graduates from ANU have been rated as Australia's most employable graduates and among the most sought after by employers worldwide.

The latest Global Employability University Ranking, published by the Times Higher Education, rated ANU as Australia's top university for getting a job for the fourth year in a row.

Employment Opportunities

In a globalised world, cross-cultural literacy has never been more important. Beyond further academic study, anthropology graduates work across a large range of sectors including government (multicultural affairs, migration, health, development aid), corporate sector (market research, social use of technology, cross-cultural management, consumer behaviour) and community work (non-governmental organisations in Australia and abroad).

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the skills and knowledge to:

1. understand when and how to apply ethnographic research techniques;2. select from a range of anthropological methods those most suitable to a particular research or policy problem;3. demonstrate knowledge of the history of anthropological theory and the different ethnographic methods associated with different periods;4. articulate and demonstrate the value of conducting ethnographic work in a given context;5. design ethnographically based programs of investigation ready for application in a given field or work or study.6. apply anthropological knowledge to cross-cultural work environments and problem solving.

Further Information

Interested in writing a thesis? Check out the advanced version of this degree.

Please
be aware that any courses taken as part of the 24 units from completion
of elective courses offered by ANU list will not count towards the advanced
degree should you decide to transfer. This is because the advanced degree has no
free electives, as they are in practice replaced by a 24 unit thesis.

Admission Requirements

A Bachelor degree or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 5.0/7.0.

Unless otherwise indicated, ANU will accept all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or international equivalents that meet or exceed the published admission requirements of our programs, provided all other admission requirements are also met.

Where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will base assessment on the qualification that best meets the admission requirements for the program. Find out more about the Australian Qualifications Framework: www.aqf.edu.au

ANU uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale. All qualifications submitted for admission at ANU will be converted to this common scale, which will determine if an applicant meets our published admission requirements. Find out more about how a 7-point GPA is calculated for Australian universities: www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria/tertiary-qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will calculate the GPA for each qualification separately. ANU will base assessment on the best GPA of all completed tertiary qualifications of the same level or higher.

Application for course credits

Applicants with a Bachelor Degree or Graduate Certificate in a cognate discipline may be eligible for up to 24 units (one semester) of credit. Applicants with a Graduate Diploma or Bachelor degree with Honours in a cognate discipline may be eligible for up to 48 units (one year) of credit.

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are. Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

24 units from completion of the following compulsory research courses:

ANTH8035 History of Anthropological Theory Extended ANTH8059 Doing Ethnography: Research Practicum in Applied Anthropology ANTH8070 Research Design and Field Methods in Anthropology

A maximum of 24 units from completion of courses from any of the following thematic lists:

Ethnography and Research MethodsANTH8001 Graduate Reading Course (Anthropology)ASIA8038 Writing Ethnography in Asia and the PacificASIA8047 The Death of God in the Asia-PacificASIA8051 Language and Power in Asia and the PacificCHMD8014 Perspectives on Culture, Health and MedicineENVS6014 Qualitative Research Methods for SustainabilityHUMN8001 Interdisciplinary Humanities Research: Methods, Theories and SkillsHUMN8034 Collaborative Storytelling and Cultural ProductionLING6311 Language and Social InteractionSOCR8006 Online Research MethodsSOCR8008 Qualitative Social Research

Field Schools and Internships:ANIP6503 Australian National Internships Program Internship A (Graduate)ANIP6505 Australian National Internships Program BANIP6507 Australian National Internships Program DANTH6065 Indonesia Field School: Contemporary Change in IndonesiaANTH6066 Indonesia Field School ExtensionANTH6135 Vietnam Field SchoolANTH6137 Vietnam Field SchoolHUMN8037 Culture and Heritage in China Field SchoolMUSC8004 Internship 1MUSC8005 Internship 2PASI6005 Pacific Islands Field School

Food Culture, Sustainability, and SocietyANTH6064 Anthropology of Environmental DisastersANTH6518 Food for Thought: Anthropological theories of food and eatingANTH8058 Inequality and DevelopmentASIA8021 Activism and Social Change in Asia and the PacificASIA8050 Social Conflict and Environmental Challenges in Asia and the PacificBIAN6119 Nutrition, Disease and the EnvironmentBIAN6120 Culture, Biology & Population DynamicsCHMD8013 Life, Waste and SustainabilityCHMD8020 The Future of Food and Human HealthEMDV8082 Food Wars: Food Security and Agricultural PolicyENVS6101 Environment and Society: Geography of SustainabilityENVS8003 Climate Change Vulnerability and AdaptationSOCY6065 Excessive Appetites: Sociocultural Perspectives on Addiction and Drug Use

Workplace and the social personBUSI7280 Managing in a Global ContextMGMT7107 Managing Across Cultures

Migration and TravelANTH8042 Migration, Refugees and DevelopmentASIA8040 Engaging Asia: Australia and the Asian CenturyASIA8046 Maps and Mapping for the Social Sciences and HumanitiesBIAN6120 Culture, Biology & Population DynamicsCHMD8016 International Migration of Health Workers: Sociological and Ethical AspectsHUMN8027 Critical Issues in Heritage and Museum StudiesHUMN8019 World Heritage: conserving cultural heritage valuesHUMN8033 Tourism, Heritage and GlobalizationHUMN8035 Critical Issues in Intangible Heritage MUSI6007 Music and GlobalisationPASI8008 Gender and Sexuality in the Pacific

A maximum of 24 units from completion of courses from any of the following language specialisations and courses: